Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-31
PURGAT0RY?
AN INTERMEDIATE PLACE BE-
TWEEN HEAVEN AND HE'LL.
Synopsis of Sermon Delivered Yes
terday by Rev. Father Quinn
in ST. Rose Church.

Yesterday was the .4wenty-second Sun
day after Pentecost and was celebrated in
| st. Rose Catholic Church by high mass
conducted by Bishop Manogue. The sing
| ing of the choir was most excellent, and
| the large auditorium was crowded with
communicates.
At the close of high mass the Bishop re-
| tired and Father Quinn came forward to
| preach the sermon. He is one of the
youngest in the priesthood, is man of
high intellectual attachments, deep think
er, of broad views, and one of the most
eloquent divines that ever occupied a pull
pit in this city.
He started in by stating that yesterday
was the twenty second Sunday after Pente-
cost, that to-day would be the Vigil of All
Saints, tomorrow would be the Feast of All
Saints, and Wednesday the Feast of All
Souls. He also stated that parties were 60
ing about the city selling the life of Leo
MIL, claiming that they were doing SO by
the authority of the church. This he
claimed was not true. They were being
sold for the special benefit of those who
,
from Matthew Xxx, commencing at the fif-
tenth verse, the minister stated that the
near approach OF the
FEAST OF ALL SAINTS
And the Feast of All Souls naturally causes
us to consider the lesson the church wishes
us to notice in these days We believe in
the communion of the saints. We make
the same prayers. we observe the same
service, but of all who follow the Apostles
creeds, the Catholics only practice what
they preach. This will be duly set forth
during the first Of the coming week. 1t is
necessary for us to bring before our minds
the church of God. There are three
classes those who have fought the good
fight, have held out in the faith, and who
have gone TO their reward in heaven.
There are Others who in the fight have
been wounded, who are to be placed where
their wounds can be healed and their
souls sayed-these are in purgatory There
are those of us holding out against
the enemies of God and ourselves. We
are in the lighting army of God. We must
hold up our shield of faith against infidel-
ity, throw the efficacy of our PRAYER around
the innocent, shield and protect them from
the enemies of God, the enemies of their
salvation. The world, with all its allure
ments, with all its snares and dazzling at
fractions, our own flesh, in which is sown
the seeds of death, if we allow ourselves to
be led by that internal heat within us to
satisfy the desires of the flesh will work
our ruin. Those now in purgatory are
there because they faltered. In their wan
behring's they took their eyes from the God
head and Tor moment, perhaps, Toasted
them upon glittering worldly things by the
roadside and they fell, wounded.
NOT KILLED,
But wounded, previously wounded by their
own indiscretion, and now they suffer We
must fight these enemies of God every mo-
ment; faith is our shield. 1t depends en-
tlrely upon ourselves whether we go to
wear the crown of the saints, or whether
we go to that purgatory where we must be
healed, or whether we turn our backs upon
Jeses Christ and join the ranks of hell. 1t
all depends upon ourselves, the future is
all before us, it is our own. In the present
we must build for the future If our build
ing is faulty, it will tumble to ruin, and
ruin US with it. In considering these feasts
the Catholic Church communing with the
saints is grand picture. The saints are
looking down upon US in pity. They
see US surrounded by the snares
and temptations that beset us on
every hand. They intercede for us and
those in purgatory, saying, God have
mercy on them, the same as thou hadst on
US. We send up our prayers to the throne
of God to commingle with those of the
saints, asking him to shine down on the
poor lingering souls who want to join the
ranks,
WHO WERE ONCE SOLDIERS,
Poor ones, but we ask that they be allowed
to join the kingdom of God. In this sup
plication we are all united-the saints
with US, we with the saints-together ap
pealing to God. Away to the front we see
Christ, our Lord, rearing on high the ban
ner of the cross, leading the way for the
saints, that they may glorify him, and in it
we behold our salvation. You will see the
priests arrayed in gorgeous robes, the affairs
dressed in the most beautiful flowers, arising
above them the most fragrant incense; you
will have the grand pleasure of hearing
the angelic chorus singing loud hosannas,
psalms of joy, of gladness, of praise, to
celebrate the grand victory of the Church of
Christ over death. This is grand thought,
suggested by this Feast of All Saints 1t is a
scene of hope and gladness. We rejoice as
do the saints in heaven. The church
unltes with the choir of heaven. 1t throws
itself PROSTATE at the feet of Christ and
renders him praise for what he has done
for US. In an instant all this beauty fades
from sight, passes away. Lights are ex-
tinguished, there is no sound of singing,
nc shouts of exultation, but, on the con-
trary, we hear a wall of sorrow from de-
parted souls. Priests move about in SOM
bre garments, the songs are soft low, pitt
full, doleful. Why? Because she turns in
an instant to join in prayer and penitence,
to reach ont her hand to the poor soul in
trouble, the soul in distress, the soul in
purgatory. Pity cries for pity.
MERCY CRIES FOR MERCY.
She asks God to look down in mercy, in
pity upon the souls who fought for God
even if they fought not well. While she
glorities those that fight well, she bows
down before the throne of God moved by
human relationship with tears of sorrow,
with prayers full of desire, asking that
these souls be purged of their pains they
owe to the justice of God.
Those outside OF the Catholic Church
mock at place nSpurgatory where souls
can be cleansed. IN the DAYS of Calvin it
was preached that God condemned to pur
gatory and heaven, cruel doctrine that
would condemn some although they lived
lives of saints, to hell, and admit others, al
though they lived the lives of demons, to
heaven. 1t was either hell or heaven, with
no chance for those who led exemplary
lives.
Luther preached much the same doctrine.
AS the Will was good or bad the creature
went to heaven or hell. This was cruel
doctrine. Take away our responsibility,
God guides rs as He pleases. If He makes
us bad we are sent TO hell, if He makes us
good without reference to our individuality
we are sent to heaven.
FORTY YEARS AGO
These doctrines were held true by the
greater portion of the christian world
They said. in those days, there was but
two places in the other world, both eternal,
hell and heaven.
The Catholic Church holds that there is
that intermediate place for those not good
enough for heaven and not bad enough for
hell. The world laughed at this doctrine.
They claimed it was a money-making
scheme of the priests, who taxed relatives
for the masses that were said for the repose
of the souls of their departed dear ones
Good Catholics despise such assertions.
While it is an old custom to accompany
Il, of4a Io L.,